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Skin Therapy Letter Nov 2023Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by the presence of pruritic nodules. Dupilumab was approved by the US Food and Drug...
Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by the presence of pruritic nodules. Dupilumab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in September 2022 and Health Canada in July 2023 for the treatment of PN. Dupilumab is a human monoclonal immunoglobulin G4 antibody that binds the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha subunit, blocking intercellular signalling of IL-4 and IL-13. Inhibition of these cytokines downregulates the inflammatory response and improves disease severity and pruritus. Two randomized controlled trials have shown dupilumab to be effective in reducing pruritus and lesion count in patients with PN. The approval of dupilumab for PN represents the first approved therapy for PN and may indicate a paradigm shift in the way this condition is treated.
Topics: Humans; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Interleukin-4 Receptor alpha Subunit; Neurodermatitis; Prurigo; Pruritus
PubMed: 38016088
DOI: No ID Found -
Viruses Aug 2023Lumpy skin disease (LSD), a current global concern, causes economic devastation in livestock industries, with cattle and water buffalo reported to have higher morbidity... (Review)
Review
Lumpy skin disease (LSD), a current global concern, causes economic devastation in livestock industries, with cattle and water buffalo reported to have higher morbidity and lower mortality rates. LSD is caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a member of the Poxviridae family. It is an enzootic, rapidly explorative and sometimes fatal infection, characterized by multiple raised nodules on the skin of infected animals. It was first reported in Zambia in 1929 and is considered endemic in Africa south of the Sahara desert. It has gradually spread beyond Africa into the Middle East, with periodic occurrences in Asian and East European countries. Recently, it has been spreading in most Asian countries including far East Asia and threatens incursion to LSD-free countries. Rapid and accurate diagnostic capabilities, virus identification, vaccine development, vector control, regional and international collaborations and effective biosecurity policies are important for the control, prevention, and eradication of LSD infections. This review critically evaluates the global burden of LSD, the chronological historical outbreaks of LSD, and future directions for collaborative global actions.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Humans; Lumpy Skin Disease; Disease Outbreaks; Africa, Northern; Asia; Buffaloes; Zambia
PubMed: 37766268
DOI: 10.3390/v15091861 -
Journal of Personalized Medicine Oct 2023Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammatory arthritis and periarticular structural damage. Available evidence... (Review)
Review
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammatory arthritis and periarticular structural damage. Available evidence suggests that RA results from complex interactions between genetic susceptibility (e.g., HLA-DRB1), environmental factors (e.g., smoking), and immune dysregulation. Alongside joint-related symptoms, individuals with RA may also experience a wide array of skin issues, including the development of nodules, neutrophilic dermatoses, vasculitis, and vasculopathy. Treatment strategies for these manifestations vary but routinely involve corticosteroids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and biologics, with individualized approaches guided by disease severity. In this review, we provide comprehensive insights into the skin-related issues associated with RA, outlining their clinical characteristics and histopathological findings. Our aim is to facilitate early diagnosis and personalized treatment to improve the quality of life of affected individuals.
PubMed: 37888090
DOI: 10.3390/jpm13101479 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that humanity struggled with for centuries and continues to struggle with. The bacteria often infects the lungs through respiratory... (Review)
Review
Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that humanity struggled with for centuries and continues to struggle with. The bacteria often infects the lungs through respiratory transmission and manifests itself through various symptoms, including cutaneous infections. Cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) comprises about 1% to 1.5% of all extrapulmonary manifestations and is often accompanied by polymorphous lesions, including papules, nodules, plaques, ulcers, gummas, and verrucous lesions. CTB is most commonly observed in low-income, HIV, and immunosuppressed populations, similar to intrapulmonary manifestations. The main pathogen for CTB is but less commonly with and BCG vaccine, and the modes of transmission are largely classified into exogenous and endogenous CTB. Current treatment options for CTB include oral therapy of antibiotic medications such as rifampicin, streptomycin, ethambutol, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide, which is occasionally combined with surgical intervention.
PubMed: 37513768
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070920 -
MedRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Sep 2023Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that disproportionately affects African Americans and is characterized by pruritic skin nodules of unknown...
Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that disproportionately affects African Americans and is characterized by pruritic skin nodules of unknown etiology. Little is known about genetic alterations in PN pathogenesis, especially relating to somatic events which are often implicated in inflammatory conditions. We thus performed whole-exome sequencing on 54 lesional and nonlesional skin biopsies from 17 PN patients and 10 atopic dermatitis (AD) patients for comparison. Somatic mutational analysis revealed that PN lesional skin harbors pervasive somatic mutations in fibrotic, neurotropic, and cancer-associated genes. Nonsynonymous mutations were most frequent in and the Notch signaling pathway, a regulator of cellular proliferation and tissue fibrosis, and mutations were absent in AD. Somatic copy-number analysis, combined with expression data, showed that recurrently deleted and downregulated genes in PN lesional skin are associated with axonal guidance and extension. Follow-up immunofluorescence validation demonstrated increased expression in PN lesional skin fibroblasts and increased Notch signaling in PN lesional dermis. Finally, multi-center data revealed a significantly increased risk of -associated diseases in PN patients. In characterizing the somatic landscape of PN, we uncover novel insights into its pathophysiology and identify a role for dysregulated Notch signaling in PN.
PubMed: 37808834
DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.25.23295810 -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Feb 2024Sister Mary Joseph nodule (SMJN) is a rare clinical finding in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma. This is a case report of a 69-year-old man, who presented with a...
Sister Mary Joseph nodule (SMJN) is a rare clinical finding in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma. This is a case report of a 69-year-old man, who presented with a cutaneous element by his umbilicus at his GP. He was referred to a dermatologist, then a plastic surgeon. The element was a metastasis from adenocarcinoma originating from his caecum. It is important for doctors to know of SMJN as a rare presentation of metastatic cancer, and to clinically examine the patient for an abdominal starting point, when presented with a cutaneous tumour at the position of the umbilicus.
Topics: Male; Humans; Aged; Adenocarcinoma; Skin Neoplasms; Surgeons; Umbilicus
PubMed: 38445337
DOI: 10.61409/V07230477